Amidst the diverse tapestry of art forms, lies tribal and folk art. They are not the face of the displays in glitzy galleries of urban art scenes but are local to the indigenous communities. These art forms have endured the test of time where communities are the creators and guardians of the living, breathing legacies. The peculiar choices of canvas and colours, strokes, or chisel of wood whisper the stories of the culture, tradition, and resilience of the community. These traditional artistic creations are the testimony of timelessness. In recent years, a remarkable resurgence has been witnessed where some are attempting to preserve and educate about the art form while some are looking beyond the window of art through contemporary means and resources.
“Indigenous art forms follow certain ethnic aesthetical rules and patterns. It takes a great effort for them to make effective ruptures. There are artists from indigenous backgrounds who dare to see the present world and incorporate elements in their practices. Whether they do it or not, their expressions are rooted in the living traditions of our country therefore it is imperative to preserve them,” says Professor V. Nagdas, Chairman, Lalit Kala Akademi.
Humans are a bundle of various identities. Preserving any art form ensures the delusion of individual fascination and creates a sense of togetherness. The India Fold and Tribal Art Fair 2024 was the first ever art fair devoted exclusively to indigenous tribal art forms.
Devotional Art
Painting is a meditative and devotional exercise for Bengaluru-based Tanjore artist, Vibha Raj (34), who started her venture @tanjorecollective on Instagram. She teaches Tanjore paintings to her students, online and in her studio to spread knowledge about this art form. Thanjavur painting (aka Tanjore painting), is a classical art form from the town of Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. These paintings were created during the Chola and Nayak dynasties. They reached the pinnacle of their cultural significance in the 18th century during the Maratha period. Known for their extravagant depictions of deities brimmed with gold embellishments, the deities were depicted with rounded faces, almond-shaped eyes and streamlined bodies. The gold and dense composition are distinct features of these paintings. “We see God as someone who is beyond us and that’s why we glorify them by putting ornaments using gold to reflect the richness of it. Each phase of this art has its own specialty. Embossing is a very important aspect of this painting, giving a 3D effect to it. And then there are stones (kundan and gems) to play around with,” explains Vibha. Local artists also design pendants taking inspiration from the Tanjore painting to spread the knowledge of this art form. “Creativity is unlimited. How you use it with the knowledge that you have is really up to you,” she adds.
Harvest & Marriage
Virendra Kumar (30), a Jharkhand-based social entrepreneur and founder trustee of Maati Ghar Trust, started the foundation to educate children about Sohrai and Khovar art forms. They train the artists to enhance their skills. The trust also trains women and people who wish to learn the art forms to sustain their livelihood. Sohrai and Khovar paintings are mural/wall paintings that have earned a combined GI tag. They are mostly practised in the villages of Jharkhand’s Hazari-bagh area. During Sohrai, a harvest festival celebrated the day after Diwali, the women of the household paint the mud walls of their dwellings. It is a matriarchal tradition in which mothers pass down the art form as a legacy. However, the Khovar painting is a folk art that depicts the socio-religious tradition of creating a wedding room where the women decorate the mud walls of homes to welcome and bless the newlywed couple. With their rising popularity, Khovar paintings are now being created alongside Sohrai paintings as decorative paintings. With a finger on the market pulse, Virendra educates the artists about demand, supply, trends and product diversification. He says, “Apart from training, once the artists and learners understand the use of pen and paper, we help them to shift from it to products like pen stands, cushion covers, trays, posters, tote bags etc so that they can maximise their market and earn more profits.”
One with Nature
Loksutr, a social enterprise founded by Achyut Siddhu and Apoorva Shashi Mishra, is beyond the parameters of just Gond art. It tackles the erosion of the traditional knowledge of the community by enabling them to convert their intangible cultural heritage, knowledge, and skills into products like painting, hand-painted dupattas, jewellery creation, books of artist’s works, postcards etc. The Gond community has a recorded history of 1,400 years. Pictorial art on walls and floors has always been a part of Gond’s domestic life, particularly among Pardhans. The Pardhans were the bards and musicians of the Gond tribe who were reduced to manual labour throughout time due to the deterioration of agricultural life and social patronage. A paradigm shift came in the art form in the early 1980’s when Jangarh Singh Syam, a pradhan artist, was invited to paint Gond art in Bharat Bhavan. Jangarh rose to legendary status in the annals of Gond painting across the world. In Gond artwork, it makes no difference if an inorganic object like a building has floral or seed-like designs on it. “There are no particular themes attached to this art. The question itself comes from commodification which has put this art into a box. They don’t think of themselves as separate from nature. They are one with nature and this ethos itself is the foundation of the art,” says Achyut. 'Into the Gondverse’ is a collaborative Gond art project developed by Loksutr in collaboration with Gond artist Sachin Vyam. “We are striving for the day when an artist becomes the author and their artifacts are sold in their name,” says Achyut. They are also tapping into the metaverse for an inexplicable experience to understand and appreciate the Gond folklore in a more holistic manner. While the government is taking initiatives to preserve and promote the traditional art forms, somewhere their efforts are falling from grace, from low income to delayed payments. While some artists are greedy to not share the knowledge in its entirety, some are fiercely engaged in competitiveness to achieve a high pay scale.
Different Strokes
• In 2020, the windows of Jade’s flagship store turned into displays for Gond, Warli and other tribal arts
• Designer Monica Shah acquired tribal art paintings through The Gondwana Art Project, helping artisans in need in the process
• The India Fold and Tribal Art Fair 2024 was the first ever art fair devoted exclusively to indigenous tribal art forms
• Johargram, a clothing brand from Jharkhand unveiled a mesmerising tribal runway show ‘Adivasi Paridhan Paridarshan’ on August 10
We are striving for the day when an artist becomes the author and their artefacts are sold on their name" — Achyut Siddu, co-founder of Loksutr
Creativity is unlimited. How you use it with the knowledge that you have is really up to you" — Vibha Raj, a Tanjore artist@tanjorecollective
